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“Nine years ago, there was a devastating explosion at the Kleen Energy Plant, which was under construction in Middletown, Connecticut,” said Congressman Courtney. “The explosion took the lives of 6 workers – including that of my friend, Ronald Crabb of Colchester, Connecticut – and injured dozens more. Today, on the ninth anniversary of the accident, it’s appropriate that my colleagues and I reintroduce this legislation to make critical, decades-overdue updates to OSHA."

“It is unacceptable that talented and compassionate individuals like Kimberly are subjected to toxic and hostile work environments while serving their country,” Congressman Courtney said. “Moreover, our military service members and civilian employees must have the confidence that when they report workplace bullying and other forms of harassment or discrimination, they will not be subjected to retaliation. I thank Kimberly for her moral courage, integrity, and devotion to duty as a Coast Guardsman.”

“The presence of Navy leadership, Vice Admiral Richard and Deputy Assistant Secretary Allison Stiller, is a powerful statement today of the importance to the Navy of this milestone event. And to the Virginia-class team – America’s most successful Navy shipbuilding program represented by Jeff Geiger, EB’s amazing leader, and Huntington Ingalls CEO Jennifer Boykin – bravo on

"The President’s decision to cancel non-Department of Defense pay raises for 2019 in the middle of a government shutdown was injury on top of insult to some the same public servants whose paychecks were being delayed,” said Congressman Courtney. “Some of the very same people whose lives were turned upside down over the past 35 days were also set to lose their scheduled pay increase due to the Trump Administration’s pay freeze. Restoring a scheduled, modest pay raise to hardworking Americans is among the least that Congress can do to begin to heal the harm that was dealt throughout the partial government shutdown.”

Washington – This evening, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02), Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, applauded a U.S. Court of Appeals ruling that presumptive service connections under the Agent Orange Act of 1991 also apply to Blue Water Navy Vietnam veterans.

“Increasing access to quality, affordable housing is crucial when so many folks are facing uncertain financial futures,” said Congressman Courtney. “This new federal funding will help these organizations to keep programs up and running, and to improve the quality of life for many residents in eastern Connecticut.”

“Last Thursday, hours before the settlement finally was reached and the announcement was made from the White House, I held a telephone town hall meeting,” said Congressman Courtney. “We had 8,000 listeners from all across the district – a very vigorous debate. There was definitely disagreement about whether there should be a wall on the southern border or no wall, but what there was universal agreement on was that shutdowns are wrong; that shutdowns should never be used as a tool, or as leverage to force a policy.

Washington – Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02), Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, released the following statement on President Trump and Republicans’ decision to accept a deal to temporarily reopen the federal government following 35 days of a partial government shutdown:

“Thank you to Governor Lamont for fulling his commitment to revisit the decision to locate a new state police gun range in Griswold,” Courtney said. “For over three years, the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services has attempted to identify a location for a new training range. And in every instance, they have both faced strong objection of local citizens and municipal leaders and resisted alternatives to this misguided plan. Every step of the way, I have opposed those efforts and spoken up on behalf of communities across eastern Connecticut who felt that they were not being heard in the process.

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College students and their ability to pay their tuition seem unlikely targets for a presidential administration or a political party, especially in an election year. Students represent the near-term future of a skilled workforce and a stronger economy; they are the very premise of progress in research and development in decades to come.

VERNON — For over an hour Tuesday night, residents of three of the communities hit hardest by the crumbling concrete epidemic — Ellington, Stafford, and Vernon — registered their unanimous support for an application that could result in federal money for foundation testing.

New London — Federal money is aiding the city fire department in taking preventative measures against cancer rates, as well as training for technical rescues in anticipation of upcoming work under the Gold Star Memorial Bridge.

Despite the federal government lowering a tariff affecting U.S. newspapers, local stakeholders and public officials would like to see the border tax eliminated altogether.
Last week, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced final determinations in the antidumping duty and countervailing duty investigations of imports of uncoated groundwood paper, also known as newsprint, from Canada resulting in a reduction on the tariff, previously capped at 22.16 percent to a rate capped at 16.88 percent.

New London — The Women's Business Development Council has held events and programs in a lot of Connecticut communities, but CEO Fran Pastore said she has never had the kind of reception she's had in New London.

Courtney hosted veterans representing several area organizations for a monthly veterans advisory board meeting at his district office in Norwich. In attendance at the meeting was the commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs Thomas J. Saadi, who addressed the group with updates from his department and responded to questions.
Specifically, Courtney spoke about current issues that he said are important for Norwich area veterans, including declaring his strong opposition to a July 12 policy change from the Department of Defense that will prevent service members with greater than 16 years of service from transferring their Post-9/11 G.I. Bill benefits to eligible family members.
“To scale back this benefit, it’s really blindsiding to people,” Courtney said.

The Navy’s newest submarine will make Groton its home after its Sept. 29 commissioning, which U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, said is seven months earlier than originally planned.
Electric Boat already won a contract to perform maintenance on the USS Indiana, a Virginia-class, fast-attack submarine, beginning in November. The work will correct any defects found during so-called "shakedown" testing before the submarine is deployed.